an absence of high aim.  Somehow both our friends lost much of the feeling that Nan was doing a peculiar thing, when they saw so many others following the same path.  And having seen Nan more than half-settled in her winter quarters, and knowing that one or two of her former school friends had given her a delighted and most friendly welcome, and having made a few visits to the people whom he fancied would help her in one way or another, Dr. Leslie said good-by, and turned his face homeward, feeling more lonely than he had felt in a great many years before.  He thought about Nan a great deal on the journey, though he had provided himself with some most desirable new books.  He was thankful he had been able to do a kind turn for one of the most influential doctors, who had cheerfully promised to put some special advantages in Nan’s way; but when he reached home the house seemed very empty, and he missed his gay companion as he drove along the country roads.  After the days began to grow longer, and the sun brighter, such pleasant letters came from the absent scholar, that the doctor took heart more and more, and went over to Mrs. Graham with almost every fresh bit of news.  She smiled, and listened, and applauded, and one day said with delightful cordiality that she wished there were more girls who cared whether their lives really amounted to anything.  But not every one had a talent which was such a stimulus as Nan’s.

“Nothing succeeds like success,” rejoined the doctor cheerfully, “I always knew the child would do the best she could.”

XIV

MISS PRINCE OF DUNPORT

While all these years were passing, Miss Anna Prince the elder was living quietly in Dunport, and she had changed so little that her friends frequently complimented her upon such continued youthfulness.  She had by no means forgotten the two greatest among the many losses and sorrows of her life, but the first sharp pain of them was long since over with.  The lover from whom she had parted for the sake of a petty misunderstanding had married afterward and died early; but he had left a son of whom Miss Prince was very proud and fond; and she had given him the place in her heart which should have belonged to her own niece.  When she thought of the other trial, she believed herself, still, more sinned against than sinning, and gave herself frequent assurances that it had been impossible to act otherwise at the time of her brother’s death and his wife’s strange behavior afterward.  And she had persuaded her conscience to be quiet, until at last, with the ideal of a suspicious, uncongenial, disagreeable group of rustics in her mind, she thought it was well ordered by Heaven that she had been spared any closer intercourse.